


A Portion of Yourself

by Pen Dumonium (megyal)



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Community: smut_fest, M/M, Shapeshifting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-30
Updated: 2014-09-30
Packaged: 2018-02-19 09:12:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2382890
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/megyal/pseuds/Pen%20Dumonium
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From a prompt on <a href="http://smut-fest.livejournal.com/">smutfest</a>: An arranged political marriage between two princesses who don't particularly like each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Portion of Yourself

**Author's Note:**

> I watched more than my fair share of hyena videos for this story and now I am violently pro-hyena. So, win-win! The title is from the quote: "The only gift is a portion of thyself" by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Pahilo took hold of Muxdeen's hand, her chubby fingers tightly gripping the slightly greasy metal. Carefully, he helped the young princess out of the abode, which was still attached to the main village. They hadn't quite arrived at the winter grounds, but the decision to land the village in this wild field had been a welcome one. The day had been windy, and the travel quite rough; poor Pahilo had curled up in her cot, clutching at her stomach.

Now, the princess had her little worthy-box tucked tightly underneath one arm. She had already been dressed in the thick robes which were best donned at the winter grounds, but she had complained of being chilly and Muxdeen did not believe in taking chances. The other children spilled out of their own homes, shrieking and laughing; they were still dressed in their warm-weather skirts, tumbling over one another as they played in the centre of the torus formed by the landed village.

As they wandered through the tall grass, away from the increasing bustle, Muxdeen said, "Pahilo, allow me carry your worthy-box for you."

The child shook her head. Her short braids whipped from side to side, the beads at the ends clacking together. "No. I will carry it myself. It's not heavy."

Muxdeen nodded jerkily, the gears in his neck creaking. "If you wish it, it is so."

After a few minutes of a leisurely stroll, a copse of trees came into view. They were all tall and spindly, with branches that tangled into each other; the leafless limbs were laden with small, red fruit. Muxdeen lifted Pahilo and set her down on a small pile of round rocks.

"Sit here," he told her, "and I will go see if those fruit may be consumed."

"I want to go with you!" Pahilo tried to wriggle off the rocks, holding tight to her worthy-box. A heavy hand on her shoulder stopped her movements and she looked up into the blue glow of Muxdeen's gentle consideration.

"No. Please stay here. Peruse your worthy-box. I will not go too far." He strode off, his legs a silvery blur as he made his way over to the trees; he moved quickly now that he didn't have to wait for his young charge.

Pahilo pouted for a few moments and then turned to her attention to her worthy-box. It was flat and narrow, made of a dark-brown, gleaming material. Gold curlicues decorated the corners of the box, and she stroked the top of it with a gentle hand. Her brother Skakar had given her this for her fourth birthday, a little over a year ago. She pressed her index finger at the slight depression just above the seam where the top and bottom section met. The box released a low melody of three notes and the top of it slid back.

She looked up at a furtive rustling sound, but she could only see Muxdeen in the near distance. The trees had apparently decided to violently defend their fruit, lashing out gnarled whips to wrap around his boxy frame, scoring the surface of his body with thick thorns. Muxdeen calmly unfurled the attacking limbs one by one. The princess nodded to herself, and then lifted a small, smooth stone from within her box. It was a dark-green colour, lights swirling in the depths; this was the latest message that Skakar had sent her, and she hadn't read it as yet.

_Hail, the Sixteenth Occurrence of Pahilo of Lineage Wanassa, of Tarhuk, of Inuwey; Pahilo, begat by Anamaxar (she who fed us), begat by Esaaq, begat by Renoosh, begat by the Fifteenth Pahilo, begat by Nohamur (he who traveled), begat by Desdemar, begat by Takur..._

The salutation went on for quite some time, words swimming slowly over the surface of the stone. Pahilo gave the stone an impatient swipe with her thumb, and the words scrolled by even faster. The lineage of the royal family was honorably long; they were the head of the Inuwey, the largest clan of the Sunyeeri people, which had six clans in all. To trace one's ancestry for many generations was a sign of stature and authority, and those of the Wanassa lineage could go back further than anyone in the Sunyeeri. The only other group in the world who could make that claim were certain sub-clans within the Sammaree people, but the Sammaree only had three clans in all.

Finally, the official salutes were over, and the format of the text changed from the spiky formal lines to a more looser shape. Pahilo could not help a bright grin; she could almost hear the low, gentle cadence of her eldest sibling.

_Little Pin! Is she as small and as sharp as ever? This her brother Skakar hopes. Her brother has received many good notes from the ever-faithful Muxdeen and so he encourages Pin to remain on her best behaviour whilst on her first voyage with Clan Ansurpa. Her mother the Great Anamaxar sends greetings. There are many good things awaiting the return of Pin at the--_

"Who is Little Pin," a small, sly voice murmured at her elbow and Pahilo flinched in surprise, nearly tumbling off her perch. The worthy-box and her message-stone fell out of her grasp; the box broke into three large pieces as it struck the hard, dusty earth, her many trinkets scattering. The message-stone cracked as well, bits flaking off as it rolled away. A hyena cub, dark-furred and dark-eyed, darted from where it had been lurking next to her and grasped the stone in its jaw. It turned back to her and danced away as she got to her feet, its eyes twinkling with mischief.

Pahilo clenched her fists. Clan Ansurpa was known for its close association with the Sammaree, due to their yearly voyages along the northern and eastern borders of the lands claimed by Sunyeeri. Ansurpa children played easily with the shapeshifting Sammaree who visited with them regularly, but Pahilo had kept her distance all through the journey. The cub dipped its head and let the stone drop to the ground, gaze fixed on her. When Pahilo took a step towards it, it let out an odd little humming sound and showed its teeth.

"You give that back!" Pahilo cried, braving another step. The cub hopped around the damaged stone, pawed at it; another piece broke away and Pahilo felt hot tears well up in her eyes.

"Come get it, Pinhead!" The cub laughed and pranced back and forth. "Pinhead! Pinhead!"

In the midst of her tears, Pahilo glanced to one side and saw a thorny branch lying next to where she had been seated. She bent and grabbed it, swinging it at the hyena cub. It jumped back, surprise evident in its small face and then leaped for her with harsh yips. Pahilo swung wildly once more and struck the hyena cub on its shoulder. The cub released a high-pitched scream and fell heavily onto its side. However, it jumped to its feet fairly quickly and stared at her for a long, breathless beat. Then, it grabbed the fractured message-stone in its teeth again and scurried away into the grass.

"No!" Pahilo scrambled after it and found herself being swung up in the air, held securely against a warm, metallic chest. "Muxdeen, let me go!" She swung her stick again, and a thorn on the dead branch tore at the middle of her palm. She dropped it, and began to sob in pain and anger. Muxdeen set her on his hip, cradling her injured hand in his.

"Let us get this healed," Muxdeen said, very quietly. He reached down and quickly gathered up her broken box and the little treasures it had carried.

"I want to go home!" Pahilo wailed, her voice thick and shaking. "Take me back home to Skakar!"

Muxdeen remained still for a few moments, and Pahilo tucked her face into the inexorable angle made by his neck and shoulder.

Finally, he said, "If you wish it, it is so."

\---

_twenty years later_

"Right. Let's see how that works." Wacaan pulled back from the smoking drive-mechanism, her mouth pursed in concentration. She brushed her thin braids away from her bare shoulders and glanced over at Princess Thutisora-Ketsuigen, who stood to one side holding Wacaan's formal overrobes and head-wrappings slung over her slender brown arms. The princess's long thick hair was styled in the same fashion as Wacaan's, but with more intricate rows as befitting her stature. The many strands of woven silver strands around the base of her long neck glinted in the setting sun.

"Susi--I mean, Thutisora-Ketsuigen, please tell them to give it a little power," Wacaan told her and the princess nodded.

She lifted her head and bellowed out, "Give it a little power!" The princess had a very loud voice, and it travelled quite easily up the curving side of the conical dwelling, bouncing off the geometric patterns. The base of the dwelling glowed blue and it raised up from the thick green grass which spread for miles around. It lifted labouriously, and then settled back to the ground with a very light thud which belied its very great size.

Wacaan sighed; she had known it would have not been so easy, and she reached into the rattling drive again, her hands and arms protected by thick gloves. Fitting one hand over a very small gear, she waited until that glove moulded into the appropriate shape to wrap around the cogs. Grunting, she rotated her wrist and removed the tiny apparatus with some effort. The rattling sound smoothed out and Wacaan let out another heavy breath. That was a part of the balance-lift feedback system. The dwelling could travel without it, but not for too long.

"One more try," she told the princess, who relayed that in her booming voice. The engines fired again, and this time, the dwelling stayed aloft, rotating slightly as the pilot realigned the directional thrusters. "Right, that's it."

Thutisora-Ketsuigen held out Wacaan's head-wrappings and robes. Wacaan stripped off the heavy gloves and placed them and the gear into the work-box standing open at her feet. She retrieved the thin, shimmering piles of cloth from the princesses' hands.

"You don't have to call me by my full title," the princess said as she watched Wacaan get dressed. Wacaan had stripped down to her underwear to attempt the repairs, thin strips of cloth wrapped from just beneath her breasts, around her waist and between her legs. The overrobes were finely decorated, complex gold swirls woven against a deep green background, but thankfully not too heavy. Finally, the green head-wrapping covered her braids, and Wacaan tucked the end of it across the lower half of her face.

"Well...Caanbaro said that we need to show more formality in front of the Inuwey," Wacaan answered, smoothing down the front of her robes, making sure that the material lay neatly. The princess let out a disdainful snort.

"Caanbaro can go get fucked," she said, conversationally and Wacaan gave her a scandalized stare. The princess glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, lashes thick and long. "Come on, don't be like that. It takes too long to say the full thing, anyway."

"It doesn't, Susi, not really." Wacaan gave her cousin a quick grin. "But I will call you by your title in front of the Inuwey, at least."

"Whatever." Susi glanced at the side of the hovering dwelling, her brown gaze assessing. Her face was slender, and she was very tall and wiry. "Is it safe?"

"It'll carry us to Tarhuk," Wacaan said, and knelt to lift her work-box into her arms. "But I don't think it will be able to return to Bylorah." Bylorah was the main city of the Sammaree people, home to the royal family Thuti. It was located at the very north-east of the Sammaree lands, and they had been travelling in a steady southerly direction. If they'd been voyaging as part of a village, Wacaan would have been able to borrow a matching part, or at least depended on the neighbouring abodes for stabilization; however, a village would have taken twice as long to make the trip.

"Don't worry," Susi said, her wide mouth formed into an enigmatic tilt. "We'll make do, as always." She strode off around the side of the dwelling, and Wacaan scurried in her wake. At the door, Caanbaro waited with arms folded over narrow chest, hands hidden within the long sleeves. They both stood still as Caanbaro's assessing gaze traced Susi from head to bare feet.

"Well done, Wacaan," Caanbaro said, now frowning at the princess.

"I'm no Sadiqui, honoured sibling," Wacaan said with a short laugh, referring to the best wrightsmith in their village. "But I've done my best."

Caabaro nodded and Wacaan slid past, going deep inside the cool depths of the dwelling.

"Thutisora-Ketsuigen," Caabaro intoned, "You still need to prove that you can recite the entirety of your betrothed's lineage."

"Don't doubt that I can, Caba," Susi said in her casual way, but her voice had a hard edge. "Let's get this shit over with, so I can get a nap."

"I hope you won't curse as much in front of your intended," Caba lectured as they made their way past curtain-covered private rooms, and entered one that was only slightly larger than the others. Susi settled into a short couch with high, curved arms. Caba sat on one of the pillows on the floor, legs folded. Susi was tempted to lie in the couch, throw her legs over the arms, but Caba would probably get into a towering fuss and Susi wasn't in the mood.

"Pahilo, begat by Anamaxar, begat by Esaaq," Susi droned, and rattled off the other ninety-six begats in a bored beat. When she was finished, Caba managed to look pleased and displeased at the same time.

"Which Pahilo is she?" Caba asked and Susi let out a lazy groan.

"The Sixteenth," she answered. "I _just_ said all of them, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," Caba admitted. "Very well done."

Susi shrugged. She reached down the side of the couch and retrieved a large, almost square black stone which had been leaning against one of the low legs. She held it up in front of her face and squeezed it slightly; the data it held within its memory floated to the reflective surface in an almost contemplative fashion. Susi considered the formal picture of the Princess Pahilo: a woman dressed in glittering robes pulled close enough to her body to show hints of luxurious curves, with a round face to match, gaze solemn and direct. Lacy material draped over her head and the sides of her face, and her arms were left bare by the sleeveless style of her clothing.

"Are you upset?" Caba asked, his voice quiet. "That you've been asked to marry to her?"

"No, not really." Susi continued to stare at the lines of Pahilo's face. "It is good that the Sunyeeri and Sammaree are united against the threat from the West." She remained silent for a long time and Caba nodded slowly, pleased at the diplomacy of her response.

The effect was completely ruined when she glanced up and produced one of her slow, long grins. "And when I marry that stuffy princess, we'll get all the fucking village-parts we could ever need."

\--

Skakar stood at the entrance to the largest abode in the village of Tarhuk, trying hard not to shift from one foot to the other. Behind him, rows of the Inuwey clanspeople sat on the short, springy grass, talking quietly amongst themselves. The soft swishing of their fans was a comforting sound. The princess Pahilo stood at his side, dressed just as he was: loose dark-red material wrapped in multiple layers, with material of a darker shade wrapped around their heads and neck. Pahilo seemed extremely calm, as was her wont; when Skakar reached out and touched the side of her small hand with his, she gave him a slight smile.

"Are you nervous?" he asked and Pahilo's shoulders moved in a bare twitch.

"Not really." Her voice was pitched low, as usual. "This is not anything new for me, in any case."

Skakar nodded; his sister's first marriage had been to a cousin of theirs: of the House of Inuwey, but from a different lineage, Cushwa. A few years ago, the Cushwa had been showing signs of discontent and Anamaxar had offered to bound the two lines together. Their Cushwa cousin, Harun, was currently stationed at their western borders, successfully fending off the noxious Western invaders. To Skakar, Harun and Pahilo's marriage was an easygoing one, for Harun was a cheerful foil to Pahilo's tranquility.

Now, he glanced around, noting that the village of Tarhuk had been adjusted so that there was a waiting space in the innermost ring.

"She's late," Pahilo remarked in that flat manner of hers and Skakar was about to make some verbal agreement, when a guard stationed just outside the outer ring of Tarhuk waved a brightly coloured flag. A few moments later, a large, shabby-looking abode lumbered over the horizon. As soon as it reached the outer ring, it began its landing-sequence, turning slowly and rattling down into the space made available. A few Inuwey rose and scurried about, connecting the Sammaree dwelling to the rest of the village. The main door hissed open, and a few forms strolled out from the dimly lit interior.

It was a simple matter to identify the Sammaree princess: only her face remained exposed, as did the regal ornament wrapped around her neck. She moved with a stalking gait, attention bent on Pahilo. Her eyes glinted, a brown so light that they gleamed golden. Skakar turned his head, not expecting the slight frown which pulled at his sister's lips. Before he had a chance to question her, the Sammaree were already standing in front of them, waiting.

"Welcome," Skakar said in a shaky voice, a bit thrown at the imposingly tall presence of the Sammaree. The other princess did not spare him a glance; she simply gazed at Pahilo intently.

With a taunting curl of her thin mouth, she murmured, "Hello, Pinhead."

Skakar blinked; he heard Pahilo's sharp inhale, and then: "You--!" He sensed more than saw Pahilo's fist moving upwards and he caught at her wrist, gripping tightly. He felt her arm shake, almost dislodging his hold.

"Wanassa of Inuwey welcomes the honoured Thutisora-Ketsuigen to Tarhuk!" he shouted, a bit more loudly than required. It was enough for the Sammaree princess to turn to him with an expression with mild surprise, as if just now noticing that he and the rest of the clan stood there. The Inuwey applauded, opening and closing their huge, decorative fans to create the polite clatter.

"It is well with Wanassa and with Inuwey," she responded, her voice tone soft. "I bring salutations from the House of Thuti and the Sammaree."

At this proximity, Skakar thought he could detect a very faint mottling of her skin at her neck. The other Sammaree were covered almost completely, but he suspected that they had the similar patterns.

He raised his free hand towards the gleaming Wanassa dwelling. "Please, enter. We shall begin the ceremony with haste."

"Of course." Thutisora-Ketsuigen dipped her head and took one step, then paused. Then she reached out and retrieved Pahilo's hand from Skakar's grasp. She raised Pahilo's hand to her face; for a brief moment, Skakar feared that his sister would slap the other princess, for her fingers stiffened.

Thutisora-Ketsuigen simply breathed over the skin of Pahilo's knuckles. "We will be wonderful wives together," she said, before releasing Pahilo's hand in a careless manner, and walked towards the entry of the domicile with her small retinue.

Skakar looked at Pahilo, utterly surprised at what he saw. Instead of her serene expression, annoyance sparked in her dark eyes and a scowl dominated her face.

"Pin," he said, warningly, and she took a deep breath. Her face became a smooth mask once more.

"That wasn't well done of me, was it?" Her tone was wry and Skakar managed a smile.

"Well, not particularly," he answered. "But I'm sure you had your reasons. I would love to hear all about this 'Pinhead' story... _after_ the ceremony."

\--

Pahilo stood in the deep bay of an arched window, staring down from the great height of the main Inuwey household; the fingers of one hand rested lightly on the heavy crescent ornament which hung around her neck. From this angle, she could see Thutisora-Ketsuigen in a small clearing between one ring of abode and the next, standing with a group of young Sunyeeri; a few of them, the older ones, stood off to one side, not wanting to seem as immature as their younger counterparts. The very young Sunyeeri sat on the grass, peering up at the Sammaree princess as she slowly performed an intricate dance with a very large fan. Many of the individuals who had accompanied Thutisora-Ketsuigen on her bethrothal journey were also present in the clearing between the inner ring of abodes and the one right after it; they sat on thick rugs, legs folded underneath their long robes. The Sammaree tended to keep their veils up, Pahilo noticed, unless they were in a very private room; the only constant exception to that rule was the Princess Thutisora-Ketsuigen.

The Sammaree clapped out a quick beat with their hands, watching Thutisora-Ketsuigen hop gracefully from one leg to the other. She swept the fan up one side of her body and down the other in a sinuous movement that was nothing close to any Sunyeeri dance that Pahilo knew. The young Sunyeeri children giggled and clapped in time as well; the adolescents folded their arms across their chests and tried to exude sheer boredom.

Pahilo gazed at the Sammaree; she could not see the one who was called Caanbaro; that particular individual seemed to prefer the quiet company of Skakar and his partners, and was now quite possibly in Skakar's suite of rooms, continuing the careful negotiations over the politics of their alliance. The bonding ceremony had been quick and quiet, much to Pahilo's great satisfaction. The Queen Anamaxar, still at the western borders herself, had left luxurious gifts to compensate for her absence.

"Muxdeen," Pahilo called quietly even as she contemplated the lean lines of her wife. "Have I been overly childish?"

"I would not say that," Muxdeen replied behind her. He was busy arranging the sleeping area of her suite, making sure the bed was neat and the hangings were artfully draped. The bed itself had been one of Anamaxar's gifts for this new marriage, a vision of heavy, darkly stained timber and a massive cushion that was both thick and soft. There were only a few pillows, for Pahilo did not like an abundance of them.

"You would not?" Pahilo turned to look at him, raising her eyebrows. Muxdeen continued with his quick movements.

"No. Even though you have been avoiding your wife for weeks, and you haven't sexually consummated your alliance, as per the first contracts." He stopped, nodding at his handiwork. "You haven't been overly childish."

Pahilo let out a dry laugh. "You are biased, my friend."

"It might appear that I am," Muxdeen replied evenly, and bowed at the waist. A low rusty mumble emanated from his torso as he straightened, his eyes glowing that comforting blue. "If that is all?"

She opened her mouth to say that it was indeed all when shouts and high-pitched shrieks floated up from the clearing below. Pahilo turned back around again, sharp and fast, staring down with eyes that felt far too wide. The fan had been discarded in the tall grass, a few items of clothing strewn around it. A fully grown hyena was darting back and forth among the yelling Sunyeeri children, most of whom clutched at each other and seemed torn between a sort of curious terror and utter delight. The Sammaree remained still, their brown gazes watchful.

Thutisora-Ketsuigen, in her hyena form, taunted the children, rushing them one moment and then running away the next. She was fast, dodging under trailing robes and going up on her hind-legs to shove at their backs, mouth open in a mocking grin all the while. She allowed one of the smallest Sunyeeri to catch her, small arms wrapped tightly around her strong neck, gripping handfuls of thick fur.

The hyena looked up, right at Pahilo. The hyena was beautiful, a powerful specimen; such a far cry from the bouncy little pup from so many years ago. Pahilo blinked, wondering if the other princess could sense her standing behind the thick, tinted windows. Thutisora-Ketsuigen continued to stare for a long beat, and then gently pulled away from the child's embrace, trotting with a nonchalant swish of tail towards her waiting companions.

\---

Inside the wide, low room now occupied by the newly bonded wife of Pahilo the Sixteenth, Thutisora-Ketsuigen sprawled across the low bed on her back, slender arms and legs flung wide. On the padded floor, Caanbaro sat in the usual cross-legged position, voice a low and steady drone.

"--but Skakar indicates that they would be able to send some hydropods to Bylorah when the transport is ready to return."

"That is good, Caba," the princess murmured, staring up into the long arch of the ceiling, gold tracery whirling along the decorative curve. The rhythmic hum of the illuminators pulsed in the background, and if she concentrated just enough, she would be able to hear the unobtrusive clicks of an array of sensors. "Will you return home as well?"

"Of course not, Susi." Caba's sharp answer was tempered only by apparent surprise at her question. "Both myself and Wacaan will remain here with you."

"What a relief," Susi said, closing one eye and squinting at Caba with the other. "Although I believe that I am quite capable of navigating the Sunyeeri court and politics."

"Of course you are." Caba's tone was stiff, face averted. "I myself will work at fostering closer relations with Skakar and his spouses... Ikran in particular has an exceptionally keen insight into Sammaree-Sunyeeri hisorical interaction."

"Ohhh," Susi said, teasingly. " _Fostering_ , you say?" This was interesting behaviour; Caba had once grown as recluse, living in harsh circumstances far away from the exuberance of the House of Thuti. Returning to Bylorah had been a difficult experience for many in the family, especially for Caba's younger siblings, the twins Wacaan and Sadiqui. They had grown up in the royal house, and Caba's severe countenance had terrified them at first. They had been such small children at the time and hid behind Susi anytime Caba approached. For Caba, socialising with others was a task charged with constant misunderstandings.

"Yes," Caba said, lips twisting in a wry line. "I must admit some attraction to both Skakar and Ikran. And...there are signs of reciprocation."

Susi smiled. "Continue your 'fostering', then," she said and Caba's nose wrinkled. "We need all the fostering we can get."

"Wacaan has indicated her wish to attend the engineering institution in Clan Talileh," Caba said, after some quiet throat-clearing. "She seeks your permission."

"No need for such formality," Susi said, lazily rocking her head from side to side. She knew full well that the insistence on procedure was all Caba's doing. "Of course, she should enrol as soon as possible. We must also send for Sadiqui, he will excel here."

"I will pass on your dispensation," Caba said, sounding well-pleased. "Sadiqui's presence will be most welcome! He--"

A sharp knock occurred at the portal, cutting off Caba's speech.

"Enter," Susi called out, going up on her elbows. The door swung open and the gleaming figure of Muxdeen entered. He bowed low and straightened, holding both hands together in front of his squarish torso.

"Greetings," he said, with what might have been a small smile on his wedge-shaped face. "The Princess Pahilo requests a private audience with the Princess Thutisora-Ketsuigen."

Caba stood quickly, almost as tall as Muxdeen. Bowing to Susi, Caba exited, followed by Muxdeen. After a beat, the short frame of Pahilo entered, clutching a small box in both hands. She blinked at Susi, who had not moved from her relaxed position on the bed.

"Hello," Susi said, easily. She pulled up one leg, and propped the ankle of the other atop the upraised knee. "How may I assist you?"

After a long beat which held a hint of bemusement, Pahilo spoke: "Thank you for your gift. It is well appreciated."

Susi considered her first wife, with her serious expression and calm air. Her gaze dropped to the large gold crescent which hung around Pahilo's neck, the narrow tips resting lightly atop her collarbones.

"It suits you," she finally said and rolled her head to gaze up at the ceiling once more. "Is that all?"

"I wanted... to give you a gift, Thutisora-Ketsuigen," Pahilo answered, tone wavering for a few syllables then firming. "I apologise that it was not ready in time for our bonding."

Susi sat up and swung her long legs over the edge of the low bed. "Call me Susi," she said and stretched out her legs, staring right into Pahilo's face. "My whole family does, after all. Shall I call you Pin?"

Underneath the organic contour of her cowl, Pahilo's brow furrowed. She opened her mouth to say something but Susi held up a hand, flapping it at her dismissively.

"Never mind. Give me my gift."

Pahilo's expression seemed stony, but she crossed the distance between the doorway and the bed, stopping in front of Susi to hold out the carved box. Susi took it without breaking their enmeshed gaze; the box felt small yet heavy in the middle of her palm. She broke their mutual scrutiny after she undid the latch, unable to prevent a small smile when she found what lay within. A thick circlet lay nestled atop a mound of soft blue cloth. Susi removed it and slid it over her left wrist, admiring the fragile-looking bluish-silver strands which were knotted together in a thick coil. However, it felt more rigid than it looked, fitting closely against her dark skin.

"It changes in size when you shift your shape," Pahilo said, taking a seat on the bed. Susi actually grinned at her, pleased with the gift. Pahilo offered a small smile in return. "Does every Sammaree change as you can?"

"Not every one," Susi said, returning her attention to the circlet once more. "Some choose to abstain from the pull of the change."

She trailed the fingers of her right hand over the circlet and then shifted from her human form to that of the hyena. Flesh melted into fur, and the slight mottling on her human skin deepened to the dark brown spots set against the tan hide. The human clothing sloughed off but the circlet adjusted accordingly. Susi let out a high-pitched rippling sound of delight, rolling around on the floor. At Pahilo's soft laughter, the hyena glanced up at her sidelong; Susi got up off the floor and strutted over, sitting in front of Pahilo and placing one black paw boldly on a human knee.

Pahilo's laughter cut off abruptly. After a pause, she reached out one hand to rub Susi's head, moving in a long firm stroke from nose to behind the rounded ears. Susi liked that and so she nudged the warm and sweet-smelling hand again, closing her eyes in enjoyment at the touch.

Susi changed back to her human form, and slanted a knowing grin up at Pahilo; the other princess had a surprised look on her face, more likely caused by Susi's nudity. However, she hadn't removed the hand now resting on Susi's head, fingers tangled with the thin braids.

"Our marriage contract demands consummation, Pin," Susi said, moving her head so that Pahilo's hand shifted down to rest on her cheek. "But I suppose that you will run away again, little Pin?"

Pahilo's eyes narrowed, and she gripped a handful of Susi's braids. Susi raised her eyebrows but did not resist when Pahilo pulled back, forcing her to tilt her chin up, exposing the long curve of her neck. Pahilo leaned forward; the touch of her lips was a tentative brush against the skin there.

"Maybe you should remove your robes," Susi suggested, placing her hands on the dip of Pahilo's waist, keeping a mocking smile hovering over her mouth, even though Pahilo wasn't looking in her face. "Little Pin--"

"Stop calling me that," Pahilo muttered. Susi turned her head quickly and kissed her mouth, a sharp press which mellowed as soon Pahilo's lips parted under hers. Susi rose, pressing Pahilo back unto the bed, pushing up the heavy clothing that Pahilo still wore, and settling between her legs. Susi reached down and grabbed her under the knees, pulling her legs up. Pahilo's eyes were very wide and very dark. Susi licked her lips and kissed her again, tongue darting into her mouth. Pahilo let out a high-pitched moan and Susi kissed her even more deeply.

"Wait. Let me--" Pahilo said, pulling away to undo the fastenings of her robes and cowl. The material fall apart from the clever folds and Susi sat back, admiring Pahilo's full breasts, broad hips and her short cap of tight black curls. The golden crescent seemed to glow against her dark skin. Susi touched a strand of her hair, twisting it around one long finger; she hadn't known that the Sunyeeri royalty kept their hair so short beneath their head-wrappings.

"I like it," she murmured to herself. Pahilo blinked up at her.

"What?"

"Never mind." She reached between Pahilo's thighs, fingers caressing the coarse hair found at the juncture of her legs. "How shall I get your cunt nice and wet for me?"

Pahilo's mouth fell open and her eyes went even wider. Susi licked her own lips in a wanton display and wriggled down, pressing kisses to the insides of Pahilo's thighs. The Sunyeeri princess twitched, breathing quickly as Susi took her time, enjoying the warmth and smoothness of her skin. She made her way down to Pahilo's mound, covered with springy black curls and gave the slightly parted cleft a slow lick. Pahilo moaned, legs falling apart even more and Susi traced the letters of her own name on the pink insides of Pahilo's labia--her _full_ name, leaving gentle punctuations on Pahilo's emerging clit with the tip of her tongue.

Pahilo's hips jolted up, her hands pressed atop Susi's head. Susi didn't mind; her tongue and lips moving in and around Pahilo. A full shudder wracked the form writhing beneath her, and Susi breathed in her scent deeply .

Pahilo arched up even more. Susi found herself being rolled over, and pushed up against the pillows. She felt hot breath fall upon her breasts and then a mouth fastened around one stiff nipple. One hand wriggled between Susi's legs and eagerly stroked the puffy labia.

"Wait, wait," Susi gasped, reaching down between them to grab Pahilo's wrist, halting those rubbing fingers. "Slowly...like this." She guided Pahilo's fingers to glide slowly up and down, thumb rubbing her clit now and again. Pahilo learned quickly, sliding one finger up inside Susi to an encouraging litany of groans. Susi smiled as Pahilo left off the pleasing nibbling up and around her breasts, and clambered up her long body to fasten their lips together. There was hardly space to move between them, legs tangled together, Pahilo's fingers stroking deep inside. Susi had a tight grip on her waist, not quite holding her in place as Pahilo ground in shivering rhythm against her thigh.

"Does it...am I--?" Pahilo whispered, Susi gripping her tight. Susi almost didn't hear her, the whole world was roaring in her ears.

"Yes," Susi moaned, clutching her wife close. " _Yes_."

\---

The Princess Pahilo sat quietly beside her brother Skakar, waiting for the arrival of her mother Anamaxar. Beside her, her wife Thutisora-Ketsuigen half-slumped in her own chair, one arm propping up her head as she seemed to doze. Nearly everyone in the tall meeting-hall, except Caanbaro, seemed amused by Susi's nonchalant expression.

"Oh," Susi said, quietly so that her voice didn't echo among the waiting crowd. "I have something for you. Another gift, if you like."

Pahilo turned towards her with a small, shy smile, watching as Susi reached into a fold of her head-dress and pulled out a fairly innocuous-looking stone; a small green one, with lights blurred hazily in its depths...and a few cracks across its surface. She took it from Susi's outstretched hand, stroking it lovingly as familiar words appeared on its surface.

"I fixed it myself," Susi said, yawning. "I wanted to give it back to you that same day but you ran away, little Pin."

"Don't call me that," Pahilo said, elbowing Susi in the side, grin wide on her round face. Susi rolled her eyes, yawned again and jumped awake only when Caba dealt her a furtive pinch.

fin


End file.
